Dd Literature Review

2500 Words5 Pages

Literature Review: The term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, has only recently been officially recognized by the United States. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) officially added PTSD in 1980. Prior to 1980 PTSD was known as “Nostalgia”, a name coined by Swiss military physicians in 1678 (“PTSD”). Around that time, French, German, and Spanish doctors were also studying and discovering its effects and symptoms as well. The symptoms found can across the same all around the world, they found that the patient exhibited a type of melancholy that gripped its host causing a loss of appetite, lack of sleep, anxiety, stupor, fever, and incessant thoughts of home (Hoge, Charles W. 2004). During the Civil War, in the mid …show more content…

Treatments can vary depending on which proves to be most effective for the patient. The most common treatments are, exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, stress inoculation training, and virtual reality treatment. Currently, certain drugs are being tested and researched to determine if they can help prevent symptoms of PTSD. Researchers are also trying to determine if transcendental medication, computer vaccines, and other less conventional methods of medication might help to mitigate of even prevent PTSD. In order to better understand PTSD, scientists are also looking into certain genetic markers, childhood events, prior diseases, or any other factors that may play a part in getting PTSD later. Finally, the long term effects of PTSD could potential lead to increased risk for hear disease in women, Alzheimer’s and dementia in veterans, and a decrease in drug effectiveness for those with HIV (Ramchand, Rajeev, …show more content…

The military does not force any veterans to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. For those who do seek treatment, dropping out of treatment is a troubling issue. It shows the lack of importance being placed on mental health. There is also a lack of effort being put into supplementing soldier’s time. The time it takes to deal with PTSD is considerable and they simply need time to devote themselves to alternative areas of self-improvement such as education or advancing their careers. Taking the time to handle the stress and overcome anxiety is neither rewarding in the short run, not an opportunity cost worth pursuing, from the soldier’s

Open Document